Multilevel boat harbor



Aug 27, 1968 R. L. TOBEN 3,3985540 MULT ILEVEL BOAT HARBOR Filed NOV.17, 1966 INVENTOR ROBERT L.. TOBEN BY MKZ/L ATTO RNEY United StatesPatent O 3,398,540 MULTILEVEL BOAT HARBOR Robert L. Toben, 226 E.Ontario, Chicago, lll. 60611 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No.543,163, Apr. 18, 1966. This application Nov. 17, 1966, Ser. No. 595,230

2 Claims. (Cl. 61-46) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Multilevel boat harborcomprising one or more raised water-filled boat storing levels. Avertical transportation tower is hydraulically connected with eachlevel. A boat enters the tower and is vertically transported betweenlevels by varying the height of the water in the tower. The water heightvariation is accomplished without using any special pump for thetransportation tower.

T he present invention relates to an improved structure for the storageof boats and more particularly to multilevel boat harbor. This is acontinuation-in-part from my previously led and now pending U.S. patentapplication entitled, Multilevel Boat Harbor, Ser. No. 543,163, filedApr. 18, 1966.

As explained in my copending application, it is a known fact that one ofthe most serious drawbacks to boating has to do with the unavailabilityof proper docking or harbor facilities. Many attempts have been made tolarrive at a solution to this dilemma. One of the most common expedientsused in attempting to solve the problem has to do with providingmultilevel storage means wherein the. boats are stored at diiferentlevels in drydock. Such systems are disclosed in U.S. Patents Nos.3,080,073 :and 3,082,887. In both of these patents, the storage meansfor the boats necessitate initial removal of the boats from the watermechanically raising the boats to 1an upper level and finally eithersuspending each boat on some sort of a hanger, or, removing each boatfrom the mechanical means for raising the boat and thereafter storingthe boats in drydock. Thereafter, the same operations in reverse must beundertaken to return the boats to the water if it is desired to use theboats. This, of course, involves several steps and therefore expeditiousand convenient storage or removal of the boats is precluded.

The invention in my copending application obviated eXtra operations instoring a boat and thereafter readying the boat for use by providing amultilevel boat harbor having water therein at all of its levels. Stillfurther, the boat harbor has a water filled elevator cab which initiallyreceives the Vboats at the lower level of the boat harbor and raises theboats while retaining the boats buoyed therein with water. After theboats were raised to an upper level in the boat harbor, the elevator cabis opened and water from the upper level communicates with the elevatorcab whereupon the boat can be moved to a preselected location byflotation rather than by mechanical handling of the boat. Thus with mynew and improved structure I obviated the necessity of mechanicallyhandling the boat several times to store and ready the same foroperation in addition to obviating the problems with regard to the lackof harbor space.

In my copending application, I taught a boat harbor that included theraising and lowering of a boat in the harbor by means of liquid therebyobviating the necessity of using an elevator cab.

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In this application I have devised a new and improved system for raisingand lowering the liquid by means of utilizing water from the variouslevels of the boat harbor to raise the boats. This system utilizing theprinciple that water seeks its own level enables the boats to be raisedto a desired level without the aid of `additional pumps.

It is, therefore, the primary object of this invention to provide a newand improved multilevel boat harbor.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a harboring facilitywith an increased capacity for a limited harbor area wherein the boatscan be docked in the harbor without necessitating their removal from thewater.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new and improvedharboring facility that has increased area for docking boats whereinentrance and egress to the docking facilities is accomplishedexpeditiously and conveniently without necessitating removal ofthevessels from the water.

Other and further objects of this invention will become readily apparentfrom reading the description and claims in connection with the figuresin the drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical view of a preferred embodiment of my new andimproved multilevel harboring facility in the initial position ofreceiving a boat; and

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view similiar to FIG. 1 wherein a boathas been raised from its initial position to one of the upper or raisedlevels of the harbor.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like characters ofreference indicate corresponding parts throughout, my multilevel boatharbor is generally designated by the character reference 10, asillustrated in FIG. l. In the particular embodiment the boat harbor isillustrated with a rst upper level 10a and a second upper level 10b. Theharbor is preferably supported by cement columns i2 which extend upwardvertically and are anchored in the bed 14 of the harbor. It should, ofcourse, be realized that I contemplate the use of any number of upperlevels in my invention, and although I merely show two levels, the scopeof my invention is intended to include any number of levels. Moreover, Icontemplate combining my multilevel boat harbor with other structures.For instance, my multilevel boat harbor could `be disposed in the bottomof a building, or it could have a sundeck on the top thereof. Also, thedifferent levels of the harbor can be used for different purposes forseasonal changes such as, for instance, in the winter the levels couldbe used for ice skating or dry dock and repairs. Still further, thecolumns 12 of my boat harbor can be of different shapes to accommodatevarious mechanisms therein, in addition to supporting the diierentlevels of the boat harbor.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 it is seen that the different upper levels 10a, 10bofthe boat harbor are formed respectively with vertical Walls 16, 17.The vertical walls 16, 17 extend around the periphery of theirrespective levels of the boat harbor for the purpose of `containingwater therein. Also the respective levels are provided with means formaintaining the water level thereof at a predetermined level. The floattype level controls 18 are illustrated in FIG. 1 as being attached tothe walls 16, 17 in order that they can be positioned to contact thewater in said upper levels. Valve mechanisms 13 and 14 and a pump 15 canbe operatively associated with the oat type level controls toselectively pump or drain water to and from the upr levels when this isdesired by means of the conduit 15a.

As `is seen in FIGS. l and 2, `a hollow shaft 19 is preferably anchoredin theV bed of the harbor at the bottom 19a thereof and extendsvertically upward through each of the upper levels of the boat harbor.As in the oase of the columns and different levels of the boat harbor,the hollow shaft 19 can 'be constructed of cement. However, other wellknown materials are contemplated for use in the structure. Also, theshaft 19 can :be constructed any number of ways, In the drawings theshaft 19 is illustrated as having a substantially continuous verticalwall 20 which defines the outside of the shaft and forms an enclosurefor water so that it can be raised and lowered therein. It will be notedthat the vertical wall 20 has openings at each water level for thepurpose of allowing vessels t'o enter and leave the shaft. At theregular boat harbor water level which is indicated by the characterreference 24, the shaft has an opening 26 formed therein with doors 26aassociated therewith which enables the vessels and water to flowtherethrough. The ydoors 26a can be constructed in the same fashion lasin my previous application except that they completely seal the opening26 when closed.

As seen throughout, the hollow shaft 19 which I have illustrated inthese drawings, is filled with water and the water contained therein canhave its level maintained by either being drained through the bottom 30by a valve shown diagrammatically as 19b or by means of havingadditional water fed thereto Iby the different vwater levels through theconduits 25 `and 27. With this type of system it can be seen that whenit is desired to raise the water level in the shaft -to the water llevelin one of the upper levels of the harbor it is merely necessary to openone of the valves 25a or 27a and the water drained therefrom will seekthe same level in the shaft as in t-he level it is drained from. When itis desired to drain the water from the hollow shaft 19 this can 'be doneby opening the drain valve 19b in the shaft 19. When the drain valve 19bis opened the water in the shaft drains until it is at the same level asthe water level 24 of the harbor. At the upper levels of the harbor thevertical wall 20 has the openings 50 and 52. The openings 50 and 52 alsohave doors 50a and 52a respectively which are similar to the doors 26aso that they can be opened or closed in a water sealed relationship. Inaddition the upper levels of the water harbor have the conduits 25 and26 communicating with the Water of the levels so that the valves 25a and26a associated therewith can be used to selectively drain watertherefrom.

Thus in operation, my multilevel -boat harbor initially receives a boatby having the doors 26a Opened 'and by allowing the boat to be propelled4through the opening 26 and into the Water in the elevator shaft 19.Thereafter, the doors 26a are closed and the boat can -be raised to oneof the levels of the harbor by merely opening one of the valves 25a or27a. In FIG. 2, the boat is illustrated as being raised to the upperlevel 10a. As the boat is being raised, the water level in the shaft isbeing raised by draining the water fro mthis respective level and whenthe water level in the shaft 19 reaches the level 10a of the harbor theIdoor means 50a which are aligned with the openings 50 of the boatharbor can |be opened. Thereafter the boat can be propelled onto thelevel a and the door means 50a can be closed. Thereafter when it isdesired to lower the boat, the door means 50a merely need to be openedand the water inthe shaft can be drained via the valve19b until thewater in the shaft is at the same level as the water level 24 of the'boat harbor. Thereafter the door 26a can be opened and the boat can bepropelled into the main body of water.

As an alternative, I have purovided la system shown in phantom in PIG. 2that recirculates liquid drained from the hollow shaft 20. This systemcould be used in lieu of the opening and valve 19b associated with thehollow shaft,19. The system comprises a drain valve 31 and conduit 32assembled in communication with the pump 15 and conduit a via anothervalve 33. With such a systemI liq- Auid drained from the hollow shaft 19can be recirculated to the various levels 10a or 10b instead of beingdrained into the main |body of water in the harbor. ln operation theliquid can be drained Ithrough the valve 31 conduit 32 and to the upperlevels through `the valve 33. When it is-desired to draw liquid from themain body of liquid in the harbor the valve 33 can be closed so that itdoesnt drain any liquid from the tower 19 but yet it can be opened toallow liquid torbe pumped up to the upper levels 10a or 10b through thespigot 11. Also liquid can be drained through the spigot 11 by means ofadjusting the valve 33 so that liquid does not ow through the cond uit15a. Since three way valves are well known the valve 33 is shownschematically without detail. This alternate system is particularlyadvantageous in situations where my multilevel harbor is employed insalt water. By initially stocking the harbor and its multilevels withfresh water, the multilevel harbor can store boats in fresh water andcan retain the fresh water by means of recirculation.

It will thus be seen from an explanation of the operation of myinvention that I have 'fulfilled the objects of my invention in aremarkably unexpected fashion. By providing a multilevel harbor havingwater therein at different levels, I am able to solve the long existingproblem of -providing additional harbor facilities within a limitedharbor area Without mechanically removing a boat from water andthereafter storing the 'boat in drydock. Also, by using the system ofdraining water from the various upper levels I have here disclosed, Ihave eliminated the need for an elevator cab and extra pumps. Thus theprior methods and structures used in lattempting to solve the problemsherein solved by my invention, have been remarkably improved uponbecause of the increased convenience and eiciency handling the vesselsin addition to increased storage space for the vessels.

Although I have shown specifically an embodiment of my device, I amfully cognizant of the fact that many changes in the shape and contourmay be mad-e without affecting the inventions operativeness, and Ireserve the right to make such changes as I may deem convenient withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a multilevel 'boat harbor `for conveniently and A expeditiouslystoring boats in a limited harbor area, said multilevel Iboat harborcomprising a regular harbor at normal water level and a raised harborhaving at least one raised level that is formed to contain watertherein, supporting means for supporting said raised harbor above saidnormal water level in said regular harbor, elevating means for raising aIboat from said normal water level to the level of the water in saidraised harbor whereby the Iboat can be removed from said elevating meansand stored 'by floating the boat to locations in the raised harbor, saidelevating means including a hollow shaft extending vertically `upwardfrom the regular harbor to said raised harbor, said hollow shaft havingan entrance and exit openings for `boats at the normal water level ofthe regular harbor and at the water level of the water in said raisedharbor, door means operatively associated with each of said openings insaid shaft to selectively open and close said openings, valve meansassociated with said shaft Iand said raised harbor to selectively drainwater from said raised harbor into said hollow shaft to enable a `boatto be raised from said regular harbor to be stored in said raised harborby opening said door at the normal water level admitting `a boat,thereafter closing said opened door, draining water from said raisedharbor into said hollow shaft to raise said boat to said raised harborwhereupon the door at the level of the water in said raised harbor canbe opened to allow said boat to be oatingly withdrawn from said shaftand -be stored in one of said upper levels, recirculation meansvassociated with said shaft and raised harbor to cause water in saidshaft to be restored to said raised harbor when it is desired to lower aboat to the Water level of said regular harbor, References Cited andmeans insaidjaised harbor for mainteining the UNITED STATES PATENTSwater heighth 1n sald at least one of sald raised levels Within apredetermined Iange- 1,680,/22 8/1928 Bennett et al. 61-21 2. In va.multilevel boat harbor -as defined in claim 1 5 18721556 8/1932 Ban'61-21 wherein said means -for maintaining the Water levels there-19891142 8/1937 Wlters 61-21 of include a float control associated withcach of said 3L871921 11/1966 Wllson et al' 61-63 raised levels and apump means having a conduit com- FOREIGN PATENTS municating with theWater in the regular harbor that is 88,100 4/1922 Austria associatedtherewith to supply water to said at least one 10 of said raised levels.JACOB SHAPIRO, Primary Examiner.

